Day 1: March 18 - Quotes, Puns, and cool String stuff by (mostly) Americans
David Darling and the Wulu Bunuun - Ku-Isa Tama Laug
I usually pull this out when Spring starts. So, although we’re bunkered down anticipating I Am Legend II, it’s lovely outside right now. David Darling recorded this with people of the Bunuun tribe in the mountains of Southern Taiwan. There is a “Music of Man” album with music of INDIGENOUS Taiwanese peoples which is well worth a look (but they took it off Spotify).
Gabriella Smith - Carrot Revolution
Oh man this slaps. American composer Gabriella Smith works every groove until there’s nothing left to groove (not sure what that means, but it’s a compliment). Her soundworld is American (5ths bebe), but her rhythmic drive and creative string techniques refresh the familiar harmonic world. Plus, there’s a Baba O’Riley quote in there and a great tempo markings: ‘Ecstatic, raucous, off-kilter Perotin sung by rough, nasal folk voices’ (the best tempo marking I’ve seen since David Rakowski’s ‘WTF’ in his Piano Concerto no 2). Played here by the Aizuri Quartet.
Charles Ives - Piano Trio - II: TSIAJ
An early Ives work from just after he graduated from Yale, his Piano Trio reflects back on his college years. Each movement is embryonic Ives, complex multi-layered sounds and polytonality. The second movement TSIAJ (“This Scherzo is a joke”) is the most IVesian of the piece: quotes, jokes, hard cuts, and off-kilter tonalities. Played here by Trio Animae.
Harrison Birtwistle - The Woman and the Hare
A friend referred me to this piece yesterday and have had a listen through, so I don’t have much insight to offer, especially as I am only just getting to know Birtwistle in general. What is appealing to me is Birtwistle’s use of spoken and sung text and the way he creates and interpolates between musical materials (Keeping up the puns, the narrator and singer have different musical speeds…because tortoise and hare…). This is a complex piece for further study for myself, but it is absolutely a work worth you listening to. That is apparent even after just one listen. Played here by Claron McFadden, Julia Watson, and the Nash Ensemble conducted by Martyn Brabbins.
Atom and His Package - Punk Rock Academy
A classic. Philadelphia-based musical phenom, Adam Gorem, made Atom and His Package as a joke after being given a synthesizer by a friend, but it caught fire because it combined punk attitude, catchy tunes, and hilarious and human lyrics. Plus tons of great quotes of 80s tunes.